Defra Statement: Badgers in Saltdean
11 October 2002
Defra received an application for a licence under Section 10 of the Protection of Badgers Act 1992, to prevent badgers causing serious damage to property.
We have investigated the case extremely carefully, and have considered the full range of options for addressing the problem over a protracted period of time. In addition to this, we have sought to involve groups associated with animal welfare issues, despite there being no obligation on us to do so.
The decision to grant a licence for the humane dispatch of the badgers was taken with great reluctance, only after all other avenues had been exhausted and in the exceptional circumstances of this case. In dealing with any licence applications we always seek to avoid the need to harm the badgers. This is an extreme case where no other option has been identified.
Animal Welfare Minister Elliot Morley considered carefully the options of translocating the badgers in respect of which this licence was issued. The overriding problem associated with translocation in this case is the possible risk of spreading disease - particularly bovine TB.
There is sufficient evidence to indicate that TB is endemic in the local badger population. The entire groups of badgers would have to be caught, held and accommodated while testing was carried out - a difficult and onerous undertaking, which causes particular stress on the animals. In any event, the triple TB test used to determine whether the badgers had TB would still result in 17 per cent false negatives so the disease status of the badgers in question could not be reliably ascertained. Therefore translocation of those individuals would always carry a risk of spreading TB to livestock or to other badgers in the area.
Also, there are welfare implications for the badgers concerned. Trapping, handling and release into unfamiliar territory can be very stressful to a wild animal. Urban badgers, which are moved to a rural situation are also likely to have difficulty in coping in novel rural conditions, would have to compete with neighbouring badgers for food and could either starve or would move to recolonize residential areas that offer conditions more akin to those they are used to.
Any translocation would require a suitable site for the badgers. We had a series of consultations with the National Federation of Badger Groups, and others, following this letter. No viable alternative was suggested by any of the organisations consulted before a decision was taken to issue a licence and all accepted that no viable translocation option existed.
Indeed, those that have been proposed after the licence was issued have also been shown to be unsuitable even though officials have been keen to investigate whether there would be an alternative.
Exclusion of the badgers has also been tried in the past at this site and failed. The sett in question was undoubtedly a main sett. It was considered that this suburban social group of badgers would simply attempt to dig new setts or enlarge existing setts elsewhere in the local vicinity, so exacerbating the problem. It would also not be in the interests of the badgers welfare because exclusion would almost certainly result in conflict with neighbouring badger social groups due to the local density of badgers.
The Protection of Badgers Act, approved by Parliament, explicitly provides that preventing serious damage to property provides grounds for the issuing of a licence to kill or take badgers. In considering licence applications, we are obliged to operate within the law which Parliament has made. This includes not withholding licences unreasonably.
Page published: 11 October 2002